Columbus Division of Police
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The Columbus Police Department, (officially the Columbus Division of Police), is the main policing unit for the city of Columbus, Ohio. It is composed of 19 precincts, and the Chief of Police is James G. Jackson. Columbus is ranked the 8th most dangerous city in the United States with a population of 500,000 or more. Special units of the Columbus Division of Police include a Helicopter Unit, Canine Unit, Mounted Unit, Bicycle Patrol Teams, Marine Park Unit, PoliceNET Operations Unit, and a Computer Forensics Unit.
In 2003, there were 1,779 sworn police officers and 349 civilian staff. By 2005, the number rose to 1,899 sworn officers and 409 total civilian staff. The estimated total budget was $204,000,000 in 2004.
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Structure
Columbus Police has a total of five subdivisions. The subdivisions include the Administrative, Investigative, Support Services, and two Patrol subdivisions, East and West. Each subdivision is commanded by a Deputy Chief. The nature of each task to be performed determines which subdivision has responsibility and authority. As of 2004, the department has 484 marked patrol vehicles, 536 unmarked vehicles, 29 motorcycles, 60 bicycles, 5 boats, 8 horses, 9 canines, and 6 helicopters. Rankings are as follows:
- Chief of Police: 1
- Deputy Chief: 5
- Commander: 18
- Lieutenant: 55
- Sergeant: 224
- Police Officer: 1,596
Administrative Subdivision
The Administrative Subdivision's Deputy Chief Walter Distelzweig currently commands a staff of 128 sworn and 86 civilian employees who conduct internal investigations, research and development, recruit and in-service training, inspections, legal matters, accreditation process, and business and personal administration. He also serves as the Division’s representative in labor-management concerns and as a liaison with City Hall.
Investigative Subdivision
The investigative Subdivision's Deputy Chief Antone P. Lanata commands a staff of 388 sworn and 50 civilian employees who primarily conduct in-depth investigations of crimes that, due to their nature or complexity, cannot be investigated by uniformed officers. This includes, but is not limited to, cases involving felony crimes against persons and property; a multitude of investigations involving juvenile offenders or victims; and covert investigations involving narcotics, vice, and intelligence concerns.
Support Services Subdivision
The Support Services Subdivision's Deputy Chief Gary Thatcher commands a staff of 197 sworn and 248 civilian employees. The Support Services Subdivision consists of a variety of specialized units that support the Division’s patrol and investigative activities. Among the services these units provide are communications and computer networks, helicopter air support, special weapons and tactics, court assistance, police records and identification, community liaison, and maintenance of the Division’s canine and motor vehicle fleet.
Patrol West Subdivision
The Patrol West Subdivision's Deputy Chief Stephen Gammill commands 579 sworn and 17 civilian personnel. The subdivision is composed of zone 3 (Southwest), zone 4 (Northwest), and the Traffic Bureau. The Traffic Bureau commander oversees the Mounted Unit, Freeway Patrol Units, Traffic Control Unit, and the Accident Investigation Squad. The Bureau is responsible for the freeways, downtown traffic, residential area traffic, and the investigation of hit-skip and fatal accidents.
Patrol East Subdivision
The Patrol East Subdivision's Deputy Chief John M. Rockwell commands 448 sworn and three civilian employees. The subdivision is composed of zones 1 (Northeast), 2 (Southeast), and 5 (Central). The subdivision's commander is Deputy Chief John M. Rockwell, and the two zones are divided into nine precincts with officers working out of eight substations located throughout the eastern portion of the city.
Areas of Interest
In 2006, the Columbus Division of Police cited some main areas for criminal activity with WBNS 10-TV. The main areas they talked about were the west side, or West Columbus, Ohio, and the East Columbus, Ohio. They said the that the 5 Precincts making up the west side and near east side were generally the most dangerous. The actual crimes reported on were that the Near East Side was the worst area for Murder, the Short North was the worst for Assault, and that the westside's Precinct 10 was the worst for car break-ins and motor vehicle theft.
References
- City crime rankings
- Most information came from the official website, as seen below.
